Participated at the Texas Book Festival this weekend-- as a seller of my book, Funny Man: Love & Murder at Venice Beach, and as fan and reader of books.
Two sessions I attended and thoroughly enjoyed--
1) Hand Drawn Jokes for Smart, Attractive People-- by Matthew Diffee, New Yorker cartoonist
2) Year of the Dunk-- by Asher Price
Since this blog focuses on physical activity, I'll discuss Asher Price's book on his decision to devote a year of training towards dunking a basketball. Price, a sportswriter for our local Austin paper, the Austin-American Statesman, made this decision at age 34. He stands 6 ft 2 1/2 inches. He began the journey at about 200 pounds. In the process of getting into dunking shape he dropped to 170 lbs. and decreased his percentage of body fat from 20% to 8%. Did he achieve his goal? Asher didn't ruin the book's ending for his audience-- but it seems safe to assume he achieved his goal, an impressive achievement for a 34 year old guy!
Asher explained the story brings attention to our potential for achieving goals seemingly out-of-reach. He has a great sense of humor and nice modesty. His book highlights the importance many NBA superstars attached to dunking a basketball for the very first time. Charles Barkley felt liberated after dunking for the first time. Barkley gained confidence on his journey to move beyond the world of his hometown in Leeds, Alabama.
I identified more with Asher Price than a NBA superstar. I never got beyond touching the rim. I played guard on the high school basketball team on Long Island but never impressed anybody with my leaping ability. I have literally dreamed of dunking a basketball-- a skill Asher said involves both physical strength and good body flexibility.
Asher had to add flexibility to his body to achieve his goal. And added flexibility-- that's something that helps every stage of life, and brings better health of al kinds-- physical, mental and spiritual.
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Walgreens 23 health tips
Walgreens 23 health tips-- Feel Good Every
Day
23 ways to Boost Your Brainpower
If you want to boost your brain, you
have to focus your attention on good self-case, says David Alter, Ph.D.
co-author, with Henry Emmons, M.D., of Staying Sharp (Touchstone). Try these
simple, science-based tips.
1)
Take a French class. Learning a
second language can help your brain process information and help you focus more
sharply to avoid distraction. It may even help delay the onset of dementia and
Alzheimer’s disease in some people, according to exciting new research from
Singapore Management University.
2)
Write in red ink. A fascinating new study from
the University of Regensburg in Germany found that the color red “binds” into
our memory better than other colors—making it ideal for recalling what’s on
your to-do list.
3)
Play ping-pong. Table tennis has been
lauded for its ability to improve attention and concentration. Japanese
researchers also found that in players older than 50, ping-pong improved brain
function by activating specific neurons, and showed promise in preventing
dementia as well. (Plus, it’s lots of fun!)
4)
Close your eyes. Research from the University
of Surrey in the U.K. found that closing your eyes while recalling an event
could help you remember details 23 percent more accurately. How does it work?
It’s thought that once visual distractions are removed, your brain focuses more
efficiently.
5)
Brush your teeth with the other hand.
Using your dominant side to tackle a daily task or two is a great way to
challenge your cognitive function by spurring your brain cells to produce
growth-stimulating molecules.
6)
Lower blood sugar. Diabetes is a
known risk factor for dementia, so work with your doctor on was to minimize
your risk factors. (A healthy blood sugar is less than 100 after fasting.) If
you already have diabetes, controlling it will help prevent dementia.
7)
Do a Daily Meditation. In just eight
weeks, a daily mindfulness break can improve connectivity throughout the brain
network in 55-to-90 year olds, according to ongoing research from Wake Forest
University. What’s more, meditation may slow Alzheimer’s progression and
decrease production of the stress hormone cortisol within the brain.
8)
Eat Avocadoes. “It contains
medium-chain fatty acids, which increase your brainpower by reducing
inflammation,” says Emmons.
9)
Consider a Daily Low-Dose Aspirin. An
ongoing National Institutes of Health clinical trial is testing the theory that
taking an aspirin could lower the risk of dementia. Talk to your doctor about
whether this could be right, and safe, for you.
10)
Fall-Proof Your House.
11)
Mind your Bs. B vitamins lower
homocysteine (an amino acid), which is linked to dementia. You can find them in
enriched read, pasta, rice and cereal, plus poultry, beans, dark leafy veggies,
papayas, oranges and cantaloupe.
12)
Shake Your Booty. Aerobic exercise
can actually increase the size of your hippocampus—the part of your brain which
helps you learn and remember.
13)
Become a Tourist in Your Own Town.
Seeing fresh sights can rewire your brain to use new parts of itself,
therefore, helping it to work better than ever. “Once a month, sit down with
the community calendar section of your newspaper and choose an activity you’ve
never tried before—see a new play, or go to the local art museum if you’ve never
visited it,” says Alter. “New experiences allow the brain to flex like a new
muscle.”
14)
Color. Thought you outgrew your
crayons? Adults everywhere are rediscovering their artistic sides and snapping
up adult coloring books. This new trend can ease stress as well as put you in a
meditative frame of mind. Both of these benefits are great for the brain.
(Visit Parade.com/coloring for free downloadable coloring pages.)
15)
Go Fish. Eat your omega-3s found in
salmon and other cold-water fish) or take a supplement. A new study from the
University of Pittsburgh found eating any kind of baked or broiled fish once a
week helped spur structural brain changes that boost memory.
16)
Enjoy a Glass of Red Wine. Fresh
research from Texas A & M University found that resveratrol, an
anti-oxidant found in red wine, improves memory, mood and learning capacity.
17)
Munch Peanuts. This yummy snack is
also backed with cognition-boosting resveratrol.
18)
Find Your Sleep Sweet Spot. Getting
good sleep is the best thing you can do for your brain long term,” Emmons
stresses.
19)
Start a Pinterest Page. Pursuing new
ideas that interest you is a powerful way to exercise your brain. Curious folks
have lower rates of dementia, says Alter.
20)
Surf the Internet. Suring for into on
the web actually improves the neural circuitry of your brain, keeping it
healthy, according to research from UCLA.
21)
Don’t skip your Morning Coffee. A
John Hopkins study found that regular consumption of 200 milligrams of
caffeine—the amount in one strong cup of coffee—has a positive impact on how
much you remember for a full 24 hours after drinking.
22)
Hang our with Friends and Family.
Social connections benefit brain health, experts say. Have lunch with your
friends, take you grandchildren trick-or-treating or go for a long walk with your partner.
23)
Look on the Bright Side. Make a point
to regularly ask yourself, “What if everything went right instead of wrong?”
Positive thinking can actually activate your brain’s physical ability to adapt
and change. Former President Jimmy Carter, 91, who responded to his recent
cancer diagnosis with “optimism, vitality and determination,” is a great
example of this, Emmons says.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Pick Your Passion: Fitbit or Omron Pedometer
Staying in shape, being healthy is an ongoing process. The key is stay involved. I have became more consistent about exercise since I learned I had diabetic tendencies-- a diagnosis of "pre-diabetic." Your body works better if you move it. Moving it 10,000 steps a day (5 miles) works for me as a bottom line goal.
Getting yourself to go the distance every day, or almost ever day, is key. How you do it-- well, that's a personal decision.
The Fibit Charge became a favorite of mine-- for these reasons.
1) Distance-- uses GPS to track your distance and that seems pretty cool.
2) Calories burned-- I like the way it keeps track of your calories too. You burn about 100 calories for every mile you walk. A mediocre day means you only burned 2000 calories. An active day means you moved 2500 calories.
3) Floors-- The Fitbit also tells you how many floors you've climbed. And climbing up and down hills really gets you in good cardio shape.
4) Active minutes-- my other favorite feature. It takes me about 17 minutes to walk a mile, and so active minutes helps.
Omron HJ-112 Pocket Pedometer-- why I returned
1) Distance-- measures your distance based on the length of your stride. The movement in your hip indicates how many steps you've taken.
2) Uses Kcal and Grams-- to tell you caloric burning. I'm not too good with these units.
3) Floors-- does not measure
4) Aerobic steps and aerobic minutes- give you the number of steps you took at a good aerobic pace and the number of minutes you stayed at the aerobic conditioning level. This works well for me and correlates directly to the "active minutes" of the Fitbit.
Why did I go back to the Omron pedometer?
I don't like being hooked up to an electronic device on my wrist. Full disclosure... Actually my Fitbit fell off a few weeks ago and I decided to go back to the analog technology. Just an old-fashioned guy... or is that old guy?
Now I just drop the Omron pedometer into my pocket and hit the road.
Getting yourself to go the distance every day, or almost ever day, is key. How you do it-- well, that's a personal decision.
The Fibit Charge became a favorite of mine-- for these reasons.
1) Distance-- uses GPS to track your distance and that seems pretty cool.
2) Calories burned-- I like the way it keeps track of your calories too. You burn about 100 calories for every mile you walk. A mediocre day means you only burned 2000 calories. An active day means you moved 2500 calories.
3) Floors-- The Fitbit also tells you how many floors you've climbed. And climbing up and down hills really gets you in good cardio shape.
4) Active minutes-- my other favorite feature. It takes me about 17 minutes to walk a mile, and so active minutes helps.
Omron HJ-112 Pocket Pedometer-- why I returned
1) Distance-- measures your distance based on the length of your stride. The movement in your hip indicates how many steps you've taken.
2) Uses Kcal and Grams-- to tell you caloric burning. I'm not too good with these units.
3) Floors-- does not measure
4) Aerobic steps and aerobic minutes- give you the number of steps you took at a good aerobic pace and the number of minutes you stayed at the aerobic conditioning level. This works well for me and correlates directly to the "active minutes" of the Fitbit.
Why did I go back to the Omron pedometer?
I don't like being hooked up to an electronic device on my wrist. Full disclosure... Actually my Fitbit fell off a few weeks ago and I decided to go back to the analog technology. Just an old-fashioned guy... or is that old guy?
Now I just drop the Omron pedometer into my pocket and hit the road.
Monday, August 24, 2015
Takes Fat to Make Fat (the T-Factor Diet)
"The T-Factor Diet" written by Martin Katahn, Ph.D., came out in 1989. It is still very relevant to understanding how to lose weight. T-Factor means "Thin Factor" and Katahn urges us to reduce our intake of fat, rather than obsessing on total caloric intake.
I got this quote from page 3 in the Introduction:
A hundred calories of baked potatoes and 100 calories of french fries are not equal, except in the laboratory. They have a very different impact on the human body.
The human body extracts and accumulates much more usable energy from fat than from any other nutrient. In addition, the body sees far, FAR more efficient at converting dietary fat into body fat than it is at converting carbohydrate or protein into body fat. Indeed, the differences in the way your body metabolizes fat compared with protein and carbohydrate are so great that except for a small percentage of persons who suffer from some metabolic abnormality, YOU CAN'T GET FAT EXCEPT BY EATING FAT.
In Chapter 3, page 28- 29, Katahn states:
A gram of fat contains approximately 9 calories, compared with approximately 4 contained in a gram of carbohydrate.
Our studies show that the average overweight woman is eating between 80 and 100 grams of fat each day.That, translated to calories, is between 720 and 900 calories in fat. The average man is taking in about 20 grams more, or between 900 and 1080 calories in fat.
The T-Factor formula for weight loss is:
20 to 40 grams of fat per day for women
30 to 60 grams of fat per day for men
Dr. Katahn is on to something. The heir to Katahn's ideas for reducing fat include firefighter Rip Esselstyn with his vegan E-2 diet. Not sure I am comfortable with the purist aspect of E-S. The Macrobiotic diet also encourages a low fat program. Check them out-- your health and wellbeing cannot help but take a big step forward.
![]()
I got this quote from page 3 in the Introduction:
A hundred calories of baked potatoes and 100 calories of french fries are not equal, except in the laboratory. They have a very different impact on the human body.
The human body extracts and accumulates much more usable energy from fat than from any other nutrient. In addition, the body sees far, FAR more efficient at converting dietary fat into body fat than it is at converting carbohydrate or protein into body fat. Indeed, the differences in the way your body metabolizes fat compared with protein and carbohydrate are so great that except for a small percentage of persons who suffer from some metabolic abnormality, YOU CAN'T GET FAT EXCEPT BY EATING FAT.
In Chapter 3, page 28- 29, Katahn states:
A gram of fat contains approximately 9 calories, compared with approximately 4 contained in a gram of carbohydrate.
Our studies show that the average overweight woman is eating between 80 and 100 grams of fat each day.That, translated to calories, is between 720 and 900 calories in fat. The average man is taking in about 20 grams more, or between 900 and 1080 calories in fat.
The T-Factor formula for weight loss is:
20 to 40 grams of fat per day for women
30 to 60 grams of fat per day for men
Dr. Katahn is on to something. The heir to Katahn's ideas for reducing fat include firefighter Rip Esselstyn with his vegan E-2 diet. Not sure I am comfortable with the purist aspect of E-S. The Macrobiotic diet also encourages a low fat program. Check them out-- your health and wellbeing cannot help but take a big step forward.
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
What's in a blog? ... 7 soul-enhancing benefits of working out
Started to write a blog entry concerning my personal preferences for a healthy lifestyle. I sounded bitter, angry, self-righteous and a regular Mr. Know-it-all." So I deleted the post. Felt better immediately after deleting.
So how does one share their beliefs on health and exercise-- which is what I do on this particular blog-- without sounding preachy? Maybe get more positive.... I'll try it.
Four Things I Like to do--- 100% success rate
1) I always feel a sense of relaxation when I get outside.
2) Relaxation hits as soon as you breath the fresh air. You breath better. You think better.
3) Muscles feel good when I swim at Deep Eddy pool. (Austin, Texas)
4) Enter the water and you've entered a different medium.
Things I've tried to improve-- 50% success rate
5) I'm trying to develop some muscle in my skinny, underdeveloped calf muscles. My left calf, the not-dominant side, is really bad. Don't know if this is possible. Okay to fail.
6) I've become more comfortable in the water this summer and feel more buoyant!
![]()
So how does one share their beliefs on health and exercise-- which is what I do on this particular blog-- without sounding preachy? Maybe get more positive.... I'll try it.
Four Things I Like to do--- 100% success rate
1) I always feel a sense of relaxation when I get outside.
2) Relaxation hits as soon as you breath the fresh air. You breath better. You think better.
3) Muscles feel good when I swim at Deep Eddy pool. (Austin, Texas)
4) Enter the water and you've entered a different medium.
Things I've tried to improve-- 50% success rate
5) I'm trying to develop some muscle in my skinny, underdeveloped calf muscles. My left calf, the not-dominant side, is really bad. Don't know if this is possible. Okay to fail.
6) I've become more comfortable in the water this summer and feel more buoyant!
Post-exercise
7) I enjoy the sense of accomplishment when I get home after exerting myself.Saturday, August 8, 2015
Roving yourself... to good health
Merriman-Webster defines roving (adj)-- going to many different places
That dictionary adds the following definitions for roving -- a: not restricted as to location or area of concern. b: capable of being shifted from place to place: mobile. 2. inclined to ramble or stray <a roving fancy>
Roving is also a term used in a book entitled "Live Longer Now" co-authored by Nathan Pritikin, John Leonard, and J.L. Homer in 1974. The following ideas are taken from pages 181-197 of the book.
Roving for these authors is an exercise, a combination of running and walking.... "that gives you the most return for your investment."
"Roving is a combination of walking and running with you in the pilot's seat."
Think of the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico and los viejos of Vilcabamba, Ecuador who remain vigorous in old age thanks to the long walking regimen inherent to their lifestyle. Cholesterol levels remain low and their heart health exceeds the artery-clogging lifestyle of modern man. We have chosen four wheels and an internal combustion engine over the use of our two legs. We pay a physical price and suffer a spiritual loss-- missing out on the sense of relaxation that comes with extended walking.
Pritikin and his fellow authors point out that man is "the only animal that travels, both slow and fast, on two legs." They continue "He has a graceful striding, gait that will carry him equally well at a snail's pace or a sprinters."
And that is the key... I had a gym coach in my freshman year at college. He suggested that we run or job a lap around the track and alternate with a walking lap. This seemed a bit uncool to a macho college student. Soon I noticed how altering the pace increased my ability to spend more time on the track and cover greater distances. And therein lies the answer... "The central principle in roving is to cover a lot of ground, but do it in your own good time."
Select a roving distance for yourself, anywhere from a few blocks to 6-10 miles, based on your level of conditioning. "Rove that distance four to five times each week."
"One of the most important (benefits) is to increase the efficiency by which your body delivers oxygen to its various tissues. Oxygen delivery is improved in a number of ways.. Brand new circulation is actually developed due to roving, with the growth of new capillaries to carry more blood to the body's muscles. This new circulation, called collateral circulation, enable the heart to deliver more blood to the muscles with each beat of the heart."
You will be amazed at the results!
![]()
That dictionary adds the following definitions for roving -- a: not restricted as to location or area of concern. b: capable of being shifted from place to place: mobile. 2. inclined to ramble or stray <a roving fancy>
Roving is also a term used in a book entitled "Live Longer Now" co-authored by Nathan Pritikin, John Leonard, and J.L. Homer in 1974. The following ideas are taken from pages 181-197 of the book.
Roving for these authors is an exercise, a combination of running and walking.... "that gives you the most return for your investment."
"Roving is a combination of walking and running with you in the pilot's seat."
Think of the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico and los viejos of Vilcabamba, Ecuador who remain vigorous in old age thanks to the long walking regimen inherent to their lifestyle. Cholesterol levels remain low and their heart health exceeds the artery-clogging lifestyle of modern man. We have chosen four wheels and an internal combustion engine over the use of our two legs. We pay a physical price and suffer a spiritual loss-- missing out on the sense of relaxation that comes with extended walking.
Pritikin and his fellow authors point out that man is "the only animal that travels, both slow and fast, on two legs." They continue "He has a graceful striding, gait that will carry him equally well at a snail's pace or a sprinters."
And that is the key... I had a gym coach in my freshman year at college. He suggested that we run or job a lap around the track and alternate with a walking lap. This seemed a bit uncool to a macho college student. Soon I noticed how altering the pace increased my ability to spend more time on the track and cover greater distances. And therein lies the answer... "The central principle in roving is to cover a lot of ground, but do it in your own good time."
Select a roving distance for yourself, anywhere from a few blocks to 6-10 miles, based on your level of conditioning. "Rove that distance four to five times each week."
"One of the most important (benefits) is to increase the efficiency by which your body delivers oxygen to its various tissues. Oxygen delivery is improved in a number of ways.. Brand new circulation is actually developed due to roving, with the growth of new capillaries to carry more blood to the body's muscles. This new circulation, called collateral circulation, enable the heart to deliver more blood to the muscles with each beat of the heart."
You will be amazed at the results!
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
What's your (health) number?
"One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do..." Remember that line from the Three Dog Night song back in 1969.. Did you know that Harry Nilsson wrote the song?
And then there's the TV ad that annoyingly asks "What's your number?" meaning how much money will you need for retirement.
I'm on a quest to find a number that leads to good health-- I think I've done it.
My number is 5.
Today, Wednesday, July 15, 2015, I drove over to my favorite walking spot. I parked my car in a hilly, residential area located on the west side of Austin, Texas. That's when the numbers kicked in. The clock said 8:00 am. The temperature reading on my dashboard said 76 degrees. Remember-- middle of July, deep in the heart of Texas.
I got back to my starting place at 9:20 am and the temperature read 85 degrees. More numbers. I figured I did close to 4 miles, a 20 minute mile pace, going up and down in the heat . I misplaced the charger on my Fitbit last week so these numbers were approximate.
For me the key walking number is now 5! I've been doing 5 mile walks almost every morning, a kind of health ritual. My wristwatch served as my monitoring device--a traditional method, but it works.
My Fitbit would vibrate at 10,000 steps-- the 5 mile mark. With the friendly little vibration, and without even looking, I knew I had reached my goal for the entire day. I smiled to myself. I have ordered a replacement charger for my Fitbit.
They say it takes 30 days to create a habit. Sounds reasonable. I've got a new habit, early morning walks-- and 5 is my number!
And then there's the TV ad that annoyingly asks "What's your number?" meaning how much money will you need for retirement.
I'm on a quest to find a number that leads to good health-- I think I've done it.
My number is 5.
Today, Wednesday, July 15, 2015, I drove over to my favorite walking spot. I parked my car in a hilly, residential area located on the west side of Austin, Texas. That's when the numbers kicked in. The clock said 8:00 am. The temperature reading on my dashboard said 76 degrees. Remember-- middle of July, deep in the heart of Texas.
I got back to my starting place at 9:20 am and the temperature read 85 degrees. More numbers. I figured I did close to 4 miles, a 20 minute mile pace, going up and down in the heat . I misplaced the charger on my Fitbit last week so these numbers were approximate.
For me the key walking number is now 5! I've been doing 5 mile walks almost every morning, a kind of health ritual. My wristwatch served as my monitoring device--a traditional method, but it works.
My Fitbit would vibrate at 10,000 steps-- the 5 mile mark. With the friendly little vibration, and without even looking, I knew I had reached my goal for the entire day. I smiled to myself. I have ordered a replacement charger for my Fitbit.
They say it takes 30 days to create a habit. Sounds reasonable. I've got a new habit, early morning walks-- and 5 is my number!
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